Garage door hanger



March 11, 1952 w. A. CALDWELL GARAGE DOOR HANGER 2 SHEETSSHEET l Filedf Feb. 10, 1947 Suva 1km cazdwezz March 1952' w. A. CALDWELL 2,539,049

GARAGE DOOR HANGER Filed Feb. 10, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented Mar. 11, 19 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 10, 1947, Serial No. 727,512

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in devices for opening and closing garage doors, and more particularly, to devices of this character used on doors of the overhead swinging type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a supporting means for vertically swinging garage doors, which will maintain the garage doors in perfect balance at all times, to the end that the operation of the doors may be accomplished with facility and with the minimum amount of effort on the part Of the operator.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be more efficient and speedy in operation than other devices having the same function.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in-the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a transverse sectional view of the garage, providing a rear elevational view of the invention, with the door in closed position.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the garage, with the door in closed position, affording a side elevation, partly in section, of the invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the pivotal means included in the invention.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective showing means embodied in the invention for securing supporting arms to a garage door.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention embodies a door 5 for a garage or like structure, said door being of the overhead swinging type. The invention further embodies two pairs of arms 6 identical in construction, and identically arranged adjacent to each wall of the garage, said arms serving as a connection between the door 5 and the means devised for the raising and lowering thereof.

Each of said arms 6 has its forward end threaded for engagement with the threaded centrally disposed opening in a flanged bracket 1, that is connected by screws or the like to the door 5, the ends of each pair of arms being so secured to the door adjacent to the upper and lower corners thereof, and in vertical relation to each other.

From these points, the arms 6 are extended rearwardly, adjacent and parallel to the sides of the garage, converging to a point approximately intermediate their ends, at which point they are further extended rearwardly, in close parallel horizontal relation to each other.

Slightly rearward of the point at which the arms 6 becomes extended in parallel relation, there is a pivotal means, embodying a rectangular pivot block 8 mounted on a horizontal supporting beam 9 by means of a bolt 10, which also serves as the pivot for the door.

The arms 6 are fixedly secured against the upper and lower faces of the pivot block 8 by means of U-bolts l l.

The invention further embodies a pair of counterweights l2, substantially fiat and rectangular, and of relatively elongated form, having inner surfaces formed with a plurality of transverse grooves [3, the grooves being disposed in parallel relation to each other, and being adapted to receive the arms 6. The arms 6 are extended be-. tween the counterweights l2, being positioned in any desired set of opposing grooves thereof, and the counterweights l2 are fixedly secured against the arms, and to each other, by bolts [4 inserted through suitable openings therein. A plurality of these openings is provided in the counterweights, and they are longitudinally aligned, as clearly shown by Figure 2. Thus, the counterweights may be properly secured without regard to the particular set of grooves in which the arms 6 may be positioned.

From the above it is seen that the counterweights in my invention may be secured in positions of either longitudinal or transverse adjustment, the particular construction of the invention being such that by longitudinal adjustment of the weights, that is, along the line of direction of the arms, a proper balance is obtainable for the door when it is in closed position. For transverse adjustment across the arms, the counterweights are detached, the arms 6 positioned in a higher or lower set of parallel grooves as necessary to provide for proper balance, and the counterweights again secured. This latter adjustment permits proper balance of the door in open position.

For safety, and to insure the maintenance of the above-described parts in their positions of adjustment, I also provide sleeve-type safety clamps I5 that are provided with set screws 16 whereby the clamps may be locked to the arms 6 rearward of the counterweights l2. Also, similarly formed clamps I! are secured to the arms 6 adjacent their connection to the pivot block 8,

. g 3 thereby effectively precluding the possibility of a proper balance being lost.

What is claimed is:

In a hanger for an overhead opening garage door, the combination, with a pair of spaced arms mounted to rotate in a vertical plane and adapted to carry a garage door on one end of each of the arms, of counterweights for said door and mounted upon the arms, said counterweights being of identical though opposite formation and being respectively'of fiat, rectangular formation, the counterweights being disposed in spaced vertical planes, said arms being extended between the counterweights and the counterweights being elongated vertically when the door is closed, the inner surface of each counterweight being formed with a plurality of parallel, transverse grooves spaced vertically of the counterweight when the door is closed, selected pairs of the opposed grooves of the counterweights being adapted to receive the arms, and means clamping the counterweights detachably to said arms.

WELSEY A. CALDWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name Date 7 768,819 Palmer Aug. 30, 1904 1,001,724 Younce Aug. 29, 1911 1,646,255 Muehleman Oct. '18, 1927 2,131,415 Woodward Sept. 27, 1938 2,167,569 Graves et a1 July 25, 1939 2,233,638 Peck Mar. 4, 1941 2,425,905 Violante Aug. 19, 1947 

